Safety remains a cornerstone of Explorer for 2004. The Safety Canopy side-curtain air bag system with rollover protection is optional, while the Personal Safety System and anti-lock brakes are standard equipment.

The 2004 Explorer is available in XLS, XLS Sport, XLT, XLT Sport, NBX, Eddie Bauer and Limited trims. It is built in St. Louis, Mo., and Louisville, Ky.

Design and Equipment Key design elements include simple, rounded forms and sections, uncluttered body panels and a bold new grille featuring the familiar egg-crate insert of all Ford SUVs.

High-quality, durable materials and finishes are used in all aspects of the exterior and interior design.

Explorer leads its class in third-row headroom and legroom. In seven-passenger models, the second-row seat is split 40/20/40, offering access ease to the third row, as well as the ability to customize the cargo area for long or odd-sized cargo.

The Explorer NBX is back for 2004 by customer demand. The exterior of the NBX features unique two-tone black front and rear bumpers that coordinate with the black side moldings, wheel lips and step bars.

Powertrain The Explorer is powered by a choice of two engines.

The 4.6-liter V-8 uses aluminum block and heads and is an overhead-cam design. It delivers 239 horsepower and 282 foot-pounds of torque and will go 100,000 miles before its first scheduled tune-up.

The 4.0-liter V-6 offers flexible fuel capability and produces 210 horsepower and 254 foot-pounds of torque. Explorer is the only SUV in its class to offer standard flexible-fuel capability.

Safety In the U.S. NHTSA front crash test, the 2002 Explorer achieved a 4-star (driver)/5-star (front passenger) rating. Explorer was named a Best Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in its offset frontal crash test evaluation. In its 40-mph frontal offset crash test, Explorer outperformed all other major competitors. Steel beams in the doors help prevent intrusion during side impacts. Together, the front crush zones and the beams absorb the energy of certain
impacts to help protect the driver and the passenger.

Four-wheel-disc anti-lock brakes are standard. The Explorer can be equipped with the Safety Canopy curtain air bag system , power adjustable pedals, a tire-pressure monitoring system and AdvanceTrac stability control.